A CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF PROCESSES GOVERNING THE NUTRIENT PROFILES IN THE OCEAN

We have theroretically considered the problem of interpretation of nut rient profiles in the upper ocean (100-2000 m). We compare the experim ental depth profiles of nonconservative tracers, both stable and radio active, with solutions of one-dimensional steady state transport equat ions of increasing complexity including situations not encountered in the real oceans. Apart from gaining insight into the nutrient transpor t processes, this analysis is useful in offering a way to obtain opera tional estimates of depth dependent/independent eddy diffusivity and d issolution fluxes in the ocean. These parameters are essential for est imating new production, total production and burial of carbon in the s ediments.